Ninth Dimension Void
by Lady-of-Nolava
Summary: Suze Simon was stuck in the hallway, out of her body. Oh, she's not dead yet. Just being exorcised by Paul. Question is, how to return to her body? FINALLY! Chap 6 is up
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note

Susannah Simon was involved in an accident. How it happened, she was not sure. However, she had been stuck in that hallway for as long as she could remember. Until fellow mediator Jesse showed up, telling her that there has been a hiatus: the connection between her and her body had broken, and she had no way to return. Chances are, Suze Simon, who'd been so hard to kill, was effectively dead already.

This took place after _Twilight_, when Susannah is getting to a classroom between periods, when she collapsed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

It had been a typical Monday morning. You know, Monday blues. I had, in fact, been chatting with CeeCee about our recent dates.

"I would rate our date as ten, on a one to ten scale, one being lousy, ten being sublime," CeeCee was saying dreamily.

I, however, was not replying her. I was, in fact, lost in my own thoughts about my date with Jesse.

It was Saturday night. There was a new movie. Legally Brunette. It was about this brunette (you've got it) whose boyfriend dumped her for a blonde, and says that blondes are cute, brunettes are ugly. So she sets out to prove him wrong.

Other than that, I don't really know what happened. Because we weren't watching the movie. Oh no. Jesse and I were happily making out (hey, it was a new cinema, and we were celebrating the fact that Jesse got into university). First base with tongue only, but it was in the cinema, so we've got to make do.

And that's when I blacked out (I mean, in the hallway, not kissing Jesse).

I don't know how long I drifted in limbo. I just paced around the waiting room. I hadn't seen anyone except the Gladiator. He didn't say, "You do not belong here." Not this time.

Which must mean, technically, that I do. Belong here, I mean.

In other words, I, Susannah Simon, who prided

herself on being hard to kill, was effectively dead already. And I don't even know it.

I mean, I don't know how I died. I just know I died. And why wasn't I hanging around on earth? You know, like Jesse once did. That's a mystery.

In any case, I did chat up with the gatekeeper.

"Hey, mister. I need to ask you a question." I said, walking up to him.

Russel Crowe just stared at me impassively. "What?" he asked.

"Am I dead, or what?"

"No. Just an out-of-body experience."

That freaked me out. I mean, I'd been in the waiting room for twenty minutes already. Ten more minutes, and I'd really be dead.

"Where's my body?" I screamed.

Russel Crowe shrugged and then moved away. I mean, heck, move away, won't ya. Leave the pathetic mediator alone.

"Hello, Suze," a voice said.

Uh-oh. This was _not_ good. Whenever Slater showed up, it's bound to be trouble.

"What do you want, Paul?" I asked.

Paul just smiled. "Liking it here, Suze?"

"Why should you care?" I retorted.

Paul just smiled wider. "Because I sent you here."

What? He killed me. Paul killed _me_. _Paul _killed me.

"You killed me!" I shouted. "Why? What had I ever done to you? I thought we had no hard feelings that time at the dance!"

Paul continued to smile. "I was pro, wasn't I? I

mean, I managed to convince you that I'm not jealous of Jesse and you. But I am. Because if I can't have you, Suze," Paul said, stepping closer to me, "nobody else can. And that means, Susannah, you will be staying here. Waiting for me. Which is even worse than normal ghosts. Because they, at least, can stay in my world. Not you."

And before I can react, he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

Well, at least there's a plus side. Serious.

The plus side is: Jesse is a mediator too. Not to mention Father Dominic. Which was how he can visit me.

"Susannah!" Jesse appeared from a hole in the ground, with a rope around his waist. The gatekeeper moved to bar his way, but Jesse flashed him a badge. I'm not keeping. A mediator badge. It says:

The Mediator

Free access to all dimensions

Which I guess must have worked, since Russel Crowe moved out of the way.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well," Jesse said, "I figured it was the same case like me. You know, no medical explanation for the coma you were in. Plus Slater was missing. I immediately sensed that it must be his doings. So I got the priest to exorcised me."

I sniffed. "Well, you're not wrong. Paul was lying when he said he didn't mind me and you going out. He said that since he couldn't have me, nobody else could either. And that I was just going to wait for him here."

"Slater… fascist product of the twenty-first century," Jesse muttered under his breath. "Pig

male-chauvinist, who does he think he is…"

While it is extremely gratifying to say four-letter words about Paul, it does not help to do it here.

"Jesse," I interrupted him in the middle of a Spanish swearing spurt, "how do I get back?"

"Oh." Jesse looked angry. "We don't know. Father Dominic was thinking to letting me bring you down into your body. Let's try that."

Only it didn't work. Because one, I'm not dead yet. Two, once I'm dead, I _can _go out, but I can't be alive anymore.

"Damn!" Jesse was swearing. Loudly, now. "I'll go to his house and punch him up."

"Jesse," I said sadly, "don't. I don't want you here as well."

I am sad. And mad. I mean, why must it be that either one of us is always a spirit? First it's him. Don't tell me that when I'm dead I'll hang around in _Jesse_'s bedroom (well, apartment).

Jesse glanced at his watch. "Damn, Susannah. You're officially a spirit already. And my time is nearly up, too. Come on. Let's bring you down."

We tried again, but it doesn't work. Anyway, in the end, Jesse had to go.

"I'll come back soon, querida. Don't worry. We'll check out the situation."

Thing is, will he come back here as a mediator, or as a spirit?

The next day, I've got Father Dominic visiting me in the shadowlands.

"Susannah," he said, "are you alright?"

Yeah, Father Dom. As alright as an undead

person can be. I mean, I'm stuck in this shadowland, and I'm effectively, not technically, dead. Yet. How do you feel, besides being a biological freak (ie. a mediator), _and _being undead?

Pretty bad, I bet. But Father Dom wouldn't understand. Not about the undead thing, though. About the mediator thing.

"Susannah, don't give hope now. Never give up hope. Jesse and I will find a way out. We promise." Father Dom reassured me.

"It doesn't matter," I said. I was busy thinking about my attire. I mean, mst ghosts have a choice to be in the best attire they were in. Not like me. I was wearing a pink sweater and white jeans. Not very nice. I don't know why I was thinking about my ensemble. I really don't. But I'd given up hope already.

"Susannah. It's all we have, you know." Father Dominic placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about your

mother. I'll comfort her. It's a misfortune, becoming a widow and childless. Well, I need to go now. Promise me, Susannah. Don't give up."

"I promise, Father D," I said. But I could tell even he could tell that I was lying.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

"What," I shouted, "the hell are you talking about, Father Dom?"

Father Dom looked angry. "Susannah, don't swear!" he rebuked.

I'm so sure that swearing to a priest will land me in hell. But I figured after decades of doing good mediator work (OK, a bit more than a decade, plus I hadn't been all goody-goody; I'd kicked more than a coupla ghost butts. So sue me) will save me from burning in eternity.

Father Dominic had came here to told me that he'd talked to CeeCee about mediating, and how Jesse had convinced her to be exorcised, and that she was now coming to see me. Father Dom had thought that hiring CeeCee to help me discover about why I was stuck in the Ninth Dimension, aka the Shadowlands or the Void, would be very effective in helping me return to my body.

"Ms. Webb," Father D had said, "is a straight-A, professional researcher, who can find out the most obscure facts."

Yeah, thankyouverymuch for telling me. Like I didn't know that. I mean, CeeCee's my best friend in Carmel. But didn't he know that CeeCee is the type of scientific person who does not believe in things that she cannot see or can't be explained by science, thinks that people like me (ie. psychics, like her aunt Pru), are freaks. And I had learnt from past experiences never to tell CeeCee about the whole mediator thing. Even though she had made me tell her about the truth about Jesse, during the Winter Formal. I was kind of hoping she'd forget it.

But now looks like it's not a chance. Because a second later, I saw a glowing figure, with the aura of an angel (I think it's because CeeCee's an albino, but I'm not a racist. Wait, is albinism even a race? Or a congenital disease?), which turned out to be CeeCee.

"Suze!" She burst out, then rushed forward to hug me. I was still in my sweater and jeans set, plus my hair is in a ponytail. CeeCee really had to miss me a lot to hug me in my cashmere sweater (she's allergic to wool).

"Woah, miss me a lot, huh, Cee?" I said in a jokey voice. But my throat, for some reason, felt tight.

"I guess I need to get going. CeeCee, be back in twenty minutes, alright?" Father Dom said, following his rope back.

"OK." CeeCee wiped her eyes and sat down beside me on the floor of the long corridor. I was afraid that, if I entered any doors or went into the light, I would never had a chance to go back. Never see Jesse again.

"Tell me from the beginning," I said, looking straight into

CeeCee's eyes.

**CeeCee Webb's point of view**

It was after school. I was getting ready to go home (Adam was driving me) when a novice came and informed me that Father Dominic wants to see me. I went to his office and found him with Jesse.

"Um, can I be of assistance? " I asked, raising my eyebrow at Jesse.

"Sit down, Ms. Webb. What I am going to say may be somewhat shocking.

I sat down. Boy, was I glad I did.

"Susannah Simon is not a normal person. We—Susannah and me, Paul and Jesse—are gifted with the powers of mediation. Meaning that we can see, touch, and hear ghosts, time travel, and go to limbo anytime we want. The reason for Susannah's state of comatose with no medical explanation had something to do with mediation. But we have no idea what. So we are asking you to help us research on something to save Susannah."

Needless to say, I had not believed that. "Uh, Father D, are you on crack or something? Should I call the ambulance? I mean, see ghosts, time travel, and limbo? Are you from the mental hospital or something?"

Jesse just looked at me and said, "I have proof."

And then he took out the miniature Suze had shown me. The one about him. The one that I had once asked her about.

"Oh my god," I whispered. "That miniature…it's Hector de Silva's! It's painted more than a century ago. But you look exactly like him!"

"That," Jesse said, "is because of what Susannah did. I was murdered in her room. The body that she dug up last year was mine. She tried to make me live, so she travelled back in time and tried to save me. But she accidentally brought me back, and when my soul met my body, I became alive."

I remembered looking at Jesse, then thought of his miniature. They were indeed alike. So maybe there are things science cannot explain?

"Show me the proof. Let me see a ghost," I said.

"But," Father Dominic spluttered, "you're not a mediator!"

Jesse said calmly, "Father, I've got an idea. We can exorcise Ms. Webb here."

"I have a condition. What if I don't see any spirits, or worse still, ended up unconscious like Suze? You'll have to resign." I looked straight into Father Dom's eyes. I feel bad to be so bad, but, hey, ghosts? What happened to: it doesn't exist because there's no proof? I

mean, I'd seen my fair share of documentaries claiming that extraterrestrial beings, aka aliens, do exist. But it's just show trivial. I mean, come _on_.

"It's a date then," Jesse said. "Midnight, the Basilica."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Roger."

At midnight exactly, I was lying in the middle of a circle, surrounded by incense and candles. It felt a lot like Aunt Pru's house. But at least her incense were fragrant. A rope was tied around my waist, for Jesse to "pull" me from when half-an-hour was up. Father Dom had already went, and Jesse was reading the Latin incantations from Father Dom's black book.

It was pretty comfy, lying on choir robes. Suddenly, I could see through the Basilica. Pale stars twinkled at me, like, out of another universe. I was so freaked I sat up straight. "What's going on?" I asked. I was pretty sure I was going to die, or something.

"Well, go on. Climb into the hole." Jesse pointed at the hole in the dome of the Basilica.

I was climbing up when I looked down. And that's when I nearly fall back down again. Because I was having an out of body experience! I mean, astral projection or whatever. Jesse just pointed at his watch and said I'm running out of time. So, shocked, I climbed into this fog-filled place.

"Um, anybody there?" I asked. "Father Dominic?"

At once, someone appeared out of the fog. But It's not Father D. It's this gladiator guy, wearing the Roman crest helmet, with girdles and all.

"You," he said, "do not belong here."

"Look, Alexander," I said, "the mediator asked to me come here, OK? Just let me in."

Luckily, Father Dom called out to me in the fog. "Ms. Webb? Down the hall."

Which doesn't make things any clearer, 'cause I can't see no hall. Because of the fog.

Just as well that the gladiator let me through and the fog parted. Really. It was like Moses parting the red sea, or something. Surreal.

I walked down the corridor and saw Susannah. Father Dom was motioning to me to come to her.

"Suze!" I cried as I embraced her. "I miss you so much!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four

**CeeCee Webb's point of view**

"So," I asked Father Dom. "Repeat the plan again?"

Father Dom sighed and repeated everything. "Jesse will distract Slater by arguing over Susannah, and Jesse will be trying to make Slater go on a rant about how he doesn't deserve Susannah. You will creep up the balcony to get into Slater's room. Maybe there'll be an indication of how he exorcised Susannah. I will slip away into Dr. Slaski's room to try to talk to him. Any questions?"

I shook my head. Nuh-uh. I'd drilled it into my head already. I was wearing sweaters and jeans. The thought of raiding Paul Slater's room make my palms sweat. I mean, what if he caught me? What's going to stop him from sucking my soul? Plus he's got a very bad vibe at school.

"Let's go then." I followed Father Dom and Jesse to his car. Jesse was driving. I was sitting at the back, while Father Dominic was in the passenger seat. Meanwhile, I was spending the time to research things on my laptop.

I didn't know what to check about mediators. I mean, I'd never heard of them before.

Maybe a call to Aunt Pru would be better. I mean, I had thought she was a freak. But given that now I had seen Susannah's soul, I feel that I should trust her. After all, she's a psychic, and quite a nice one at that.

"Hello? Aunt Pru? It's CeeCee here," I said into my cell.

"Oh hi! What's up, CeeCee?"

"Can you tell me more about mediators? The ones who talk to ghosts when they can't move on?"

There was a moment of stunned silence. I could imagine Aunt Pru, sipping coffee and reading her daily horoscope. It was Saturday morning, and I told my parents it was an assignment for school. Which is sort of true. Father Dominic is from school, after all.

"Oh, dear, but, CeeCee, I thought you don't believe in all this 'nonsense'!" Aunt Pru mumbled.

"Well, I do now." I glanced at Father Dom. Only yesterday I had discovered that there were a group of people who communicates with the dead on a regular basis. No wonder Suze always meets Father Dom for long hours. And that's why Suze is always asking me and Adam to check something out for her (well, me for research, Adam for his car).

"Oh. Well, mediators are gifted with the powers of

communicating with the dead, and they can travel in the fourth dimension, and visit the Void."

"The Void?" I quipped, excited. Father Dom had not said anything about any Void. Jesse raised an eyebrow from the rear view mirror.

"Yes, the Void. Mediators can send ghosts into the Void, which means they will be trapped in one of the doors in the hallways of Limbo, aka the Ninth Dimension. Which is not like exorcising, because the exorcised spirit only goes to Limbo, not inside the doors. The spirit will never find a way out of the doors. Nor can they go into the light. The light is a way to heaven, and spirits who are 'sucked' by mediators are forever ripped of that pleasure. They can only languish away inside the doors." Aunt Pru rambled on this information. I quickly changed the cell into loudspeaker tone. I could see Father Dominic hanging on to every word, tensing up.

"What happens if one mediator sends another mediator into the Void?" I asked.

"Hmm," Aunt Pru thought for a while. "I guess the 'sucked' mediator is not able to enter _both _the light and the doors. He/she will forever be stuck in the hallway, while the human shell will languish away being a vegetable. But they must come into contact with each other's body."

"Um, my friend the mediator wasn't exactly in contact with the bad mediator," I said.

"Or maybe he used an article that had a part of Suze's soul in it? Anything that your friend loves dearly?"

I thought about Suze. So far, there was nothing I know she loves a lot, except maybe her mom and Jesse.

"I don't think so." I sighed.

"Oh, well. Good luck on saving your friend, anyway, CeeCee. It's Susannah, isn't it?"

Stunned, I stuttered, "How d-do you know it's Suze?"

Aunt Pru laughed. "I know a mediator when I see one. No wonder that time when she visited I keep on turning to the Ninth Key of the Tarot. She's a hermit, after all."

Hermit. Tarot. Didn't Suze once say that she went fortunetelling before? With her New York friend, Gina? Maybe she knows more about what is going on.

I said goodbye to Aund Pru and dialled the Ackerman's residence.

"Ackerman Residence." Andy said.

"Can I speak with Jake?" I asked.

"JAKE!" Andy hollered down the hall. A guy mumbled sleepily, "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" It was Jake.

"Hi, Jake. I'm CeeCee Webbs, Suze's friend. I was wondering if you have Gina's phone number? You're her boyfriend, after all," I said into the receiver.

Jake gave me the number I so desperately needed and I called Gina. It turns out that she's at the hospital, visiting Suze.

"Hi, Gina. I'm CeeCee, Suze's friend. Do you know about the mediator thing that Suze is?" I asked.

Gina sounded wary when she said, "Yes. Why?"

"'Cause I think that's the reason why she's in a coma. Someone sucked her soul into the Void, or something."

But Gina was too busy rambling about, "Now the dead have no one to turn to, with Suze like that. There must be a dark aura above us, or something. Yesterday, when I was visiting Suze, a most awful thing happened. Someone stole the 'Best Friends Forever' bracelet that Suze made for me! It means a lot to me, now that Suze is…is…" And then she broke down, crying.

But I wasn't crying. I wasn't even thinking, "I didn't know Suze can make her own jewellery." I was thinking, "Oh, shit." Because I bet I knew who stole that bracelet.

Paul Slater.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Five

**CeeCee Webb's point of view**

"The question is, where will he keep it?" I was pacing about Paul's room, trying to find Suze's bracelet. Jesse was downstairs, arguing with Paul about Suze, while Father Dom had slipped to Dr. Slaski under pretence of going to the bathroom.

It was not easy trying to find a piece of jewellery in a boy's room. I mean, they don't have conspicuous jewellery boxes or something. No dressing table/bureau either. I had checked under the bed, in locked drawers (I once learnt lock-picking from my delinquent friend, aka Suze), and behind framed pictures. Nada bracelets.

I was sighing deeply, and leaning my elbows on the bed post, when it suddenly swung inwards, and I almost lost my balance. I ended up sprawled on Paul's bed. The bed post was the secret doorway to a safe! Maybe the bracelet is inside the safe.

Question is, I'm no professional at opening safes. I mean, picklocking is on thing (you either need a skeleton key or a hair pin), but not busting open safes. Plus I don't watch those action-packed 'police cracking case on burglary of busted safes' movies. I am strictly aversed to action movies. I prefer documentaries.

What I mean is, there were a lot of numbers. And I bet if I don't get the correct sequence of numbers on my first three tries, an alarm would be sounded. Of course Mr. Bad-Mediator-Guy would have an alarm. Especially if Suze's bracelet is inside there.

What numbers do people like as safe numbers? Either their birthdate, or favourite number. Paul had never said anything about favourite numbers. Maybe Suze's birthdate, then. Or the day Paul met Suze. But I don't know when!

By a stroke of daring, I decided to try my luck. OK, Paul's birthdate. Fourteenth of April. Suze's birthdate. Fifth of July. (The day) when Slater met Simon (when Harry met Sally, get it?) is the beginning of Summer. First of July. When strung together, it's 1-4-4-5-7-1-7.

I twisted the dial _ever so carefully_, hardly daring to breathe. When the moment arrived, I found that I was holding my breath. I tried the safe door…AND IT OPENED! YAY!

I looked inside the safe. A couple of hundred dollar notes (maybe his monthly allowance), some collected antique coins, and… I saw a flash of silver. Suze's bracelet! I reached inside to take the bracelet, when the door was banged open. I quickly slammed the safe shut, push the bedpost back into place, and quick as a flash crawled

under the bed. It was no easy feat, mind you. It's a tight squeeze, given my total body capacity.

Luckily, Paul didn't notice me. He just sat moodily on his bed for a while, before, getting out of his room. I heaved a sigh, shifted the bedpost, and opened the lock. I reached out eagerly for the bracelet. I had just hooked it onto my wrist when the door opened again.

Paul entered his room again. His back was against me as he turned to quietly shut the door. I darted to the windowsill, and hid myself behind the long curtains.

My cell phone vibrated. Father Dom had promised to call me when we had to leave. They were probably on the back street of Paul's house. The question was, how do I get out of here, with Paul in my same room?

"Psst!" I heard a whisper. Startled, I turned around, and there is Jesse! He looked very grim. "Climb down on this rope, CeeCee," he said. "Father Dom is below, and the rope is tied around his steering wheel."

And then he climbed down again, and beckoned for me to join him. But I couldn't. I was acrophobia. Oh, and did I mention that I weigh a pretty pound? Yeah well, I had a feeling that even though Jesse's a guy, he still weighs lighter than me.

"Hurry up, CeeCee!" Father Dom mouthed encouragingly from down below. As I looked below, I began to feel sick. Even though it's only two storeys high, I was half leaning out of the window, suspended only on a flimsy rope that may not hold my weight.

And it certainly didn't help that Paul yanked open the curtain and stared at me. I gaved a start and fell backwards, kinda like the Prince in Rapunzel when he climbed up the tower and saw the witch instead of Rapunzel.

The last thing I saw was Paul Slater's two dark, raging eyes, like a storm at sea. Then I blacked out.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Five

**CeeCee Webb's point of view**

"CeeCee, wake up!" I heard someone call my name. I opened my eyes and tried to see but I'm blinded by the white light. I can't remember how, I can't remember why, I'm lying here, tonight.

"Where am I? What happened?" I asked.

"You fell off the window, CeeCee. Good thing Jesse was there to catch you." Father Dom said.

I blushed. I bet Jesse must be suffering extreme arm muscle cramp. I cleared my throat. "Anyway, what's the plan?"

"We're going back to the past," Jesse said. "Father Dominic and I. The night when Slater was going to exorcise Susannah. We'll try to stop him."

"What about me?" I asked.

"Sorry about that, but you're not a mediator, Ms. Webb." Father Dom said. "Therefore, you will not return with us. If our plan succeeds, you will have no recollections of ever knowing about mediators and such."

I felt hurt. I mean, after carefully memorising facts aBout mediators, I was going to forget about them? That's not fair.

"Can I watch you?" I asked.

Father Dom nodded. "We're going to have to go to Slater's room. In that time, he will just be going to exorcise Susannah. Jesse will overpower him and therefore rescue Susannah from her fate."

I gaped at him. Paul's house? It won't be easy at all. Jesse maybe be strong, but he's lighter than Paul. Still, if anything, I would help.

"OK, then. See you there tonight." I slipped out of Father Dom's car and into my front porch.

"Shh," Jesse put a finger to his lips as he beckoned for me to stand watch outside as he and Father Dom sneak in. It was two in the morning, and Paul was snoring in his bed. Apparently he did not know that I know about why he got Suze's home-made bracelet. Maybe he thought I just wanted a souvenir.

Father Dom and Jesse held hands, and then thought deeply of the Monday morning when Suze was walking in the corridors with me. And imagining what Slater was doing. Maybe placing Gina's bracelet in the middle of a circle surrounded by candles.

In the midst of their silence, I jumped forward and grabbed

Jesse's cuff just as our surroundings blurred. The night shifted into day, and Paul was looking up at us, shocked.

Jesse immediately lunged for Paul. Paul realised that we must have come from the future, since he began to tackle Jesse back. He grinned, grabbed a pocketknife on his table, and charged at Jesse. Jesse deftly moved out of the way, and Paul came knocking into me.

Paul took the chance to place the knife around my neck. "Don't move, or she dies."

I looked at the ceiling. The one time I was close to a guy who wasn't Adam, it was someone who is holding me hostage. Am I that unattractive or what?  
"CeeCee, why did you follow us?" Father Dom demanded.

"I'm sorry," I choked. Paul was strangling me.

"Get back to your time!" Paul ordered. "Leave her here so I can keep an eye on her. Leave me alone to finish the exorcism."

I took a deep breath. CeeCee, here's your chance to show that you are assertive, I thought as I suddenly slam back with all my strength, with my elbow in Paul's stomach.

Paul groaned and released me. I spun around and kicked him between the legs.

"Aaaaarggh!" Paul screamed.

I grabbed a candle and threatened to flung it at him. He immediately moved away from me.

Jesse pocked Gina's necklace, smiled at Paul triumphantly, and shifted away. Or was about to. In any case, when I turn around to join them, Paul slammed the hilt of his penknife into my head, and I blacked out.

I think I'm dead.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Six

**Susannah Simon's point of view**

I was having arithmetic with Mr. Walden when a novice entered and said that Father Dom wanted to see it. I shrugged, took the pass, and went to his office. I was surprised to find Jesse there, too.

"Hey, Jesse, what'cha doing her?" I asked.

"Susannah, you must come with us, back to the past!" Father Dom cried.

"What's going on?" I am confused.

"OK, actually, Susannah, you were supposed to be dead. Slater exorcised you, and you were stuck in the hallway, the void. Together with CeeCee and Father Dom, we travelled back when Paul was going to exorcise you, and took your bracelet, the article with a piece of your soul in it, away from Paul. Alas, Paul had taken CeeCee hostage. We must save her," Jesse explained.

Woah. That was a lot to take in. Not only did my scientific friend, CeeCee, knew about the whole mediator thing, she apparently sacrificed herself for me. For this I will be eternally grateful. But for now, the problem.

"Ah, yes. OK. I'll go with you," I said.

Father Dom, Jesse, and I sneaked out of the office and to Father Dom's car, keeping a lookout for Sister Ernestine. We drove to Paul's place. It was eerily silent.

Jesse and I moved to the back of Paul's house. We climbed a tree tall enough to peek into Paul's room.

"OK, we must go inside that room to save CeeCee," I said.

Jesse nodded and the two of us went to climb in. Father Dom stood watch outside.

We landed right together, holding hands. The minute Paul saw us and charged with a lethal-looking butcher knife, we shifted. Back to an hour later.

We arrived, and saw CeeCee lying facedown on Paul's bed.

"Uh, Cee?" I asked.

CeeCee spun around. "Suze!" she shrieked. Jesse put a finger to his lips. CeeCee nodded guiltily, then asked, "I thought you're dead!"

"Apparently, you changed the future and I'm alive. But you're dead. So now we're coming back to make sure we're both alive," I said.

CeeCee nodded, opened shifted the bedpost, and saw the safe.

"OK, Da Vinci, break the code," I said. "Jesse will keep watch.

CeeCee concentrated for five minutes, before coming up with the correct sequence. She reached inside and took out my bracelet.

"Well done!" I said. The three of us will just going to hold hands to shift back when the door bursts open.

Jesse was caught in surprise, and Paul's weight made him fall backwards. Paul was ready to punch him in the stomach.

"Shift, Jesse!" I screamed.

Jesse's face creased up in pain as Paul reached over to take a pocketknife from his table. The knife was just making contact with Jesse when he disappeared.

Paul turned around and looked at us menacingly. CeeCee and I were too far away to shift together, Paul being between us. Paul locked the door and took a step forward.

"Shift, Cee! Try!" I shouted.

CeeCee looked shocked. I guess she had never shifted before. Anyway, too late to back out now. Paul snarled and reached for her, growling as just before his jaws touched her, she shifted away.

Paul turned and smiled evily at me. "So, Suze," he said conversationally, "ready to wait for me for an eternity?"

"You wish, sucker," I was just going to bring my leg up on his crotch when Jesse shifted back and clocked Paul's head with a mirror on Paul's desk. He grinned at me.

"Vain means pain, doesn't it?"

"Oh, Jesse!" I flung myself at him. "I remember now! Paul was going to exorcise me by stealing Gina's bracelet! Thank you for saving me!"

Jesse grinned and said, "We're even now, since you saved me and then I saved you."

Below, Father Dom shouted, "Are you coming down or what?"

Jesse and I quickly climbed back down through the tree, and joined Father Dom. Then we shifted back into the future. CeeCee was waiting for us, leaning towards Father Dom's car.

"I thought you'll never come!" she cried. "I reappeared in Slater's room, and luckily he's asleep. I quickly climbed down the tree and went and hide behind the car."  
"One thing I don't get, Cee," I said. "How can you shift if you're not a mediator? If you're not, you suffers great risks of brain cell burnout."  
CeeCee grinned at me. "I think I'm smart enough to lose a few cells. Besides, Aunt Pru is a psychic, and I might have inherited her power, anyway, even if it's only limited to shifting."

We all climbed back into Father Dom's car and drove back to school. Luckily, nobody missed us, and CeeCee just said that she overslept.

Well, I think I will not enter into any ninth dimension voids in the near future. Also, not making any more bracelets.


End file.
